Detonate
by SaltwaterJanuary
Summary: If only I would've known where today would lead us...


_Detonate_

 _4 minutes 33 seconds_

His Chaos Powers were already drained by now, and probably of little use.

Yet, he kept slamming Chaos Spears into the vault door. Hoping that metal could dent.

Rouge was attacking the vault door alongside him, using whatever she had left in her.

Their breathless panting echoed around the vault walls.

They stopped and exchanged glances, and held each other's gaze for a long, thoughtless moment.

"I'm not giving out. Are you?"

"No. Not at all."

He continued to spear into the door, as she tried to deactivate the detonator.

* * *

" _Wake up."_

 _His eyes opened, and he was startled to find her there with him._

" _How did you get in here?"_

 _She gave a light shrug. "Shut your windows next time, darling. I just thought I'd give you the wake-up call this morning."_

 _He felt somewhat pleased and somewhat annoyed._

" _The boss says we'll be in Doctor Eggman's place today, so you best be prepared."_

 _He stood up out of bed. "I'm plenty prepared for that, I just wish that you would have let me be prepared for you."_

" _I wasn't expecting anything special anyway."_

 _He stood in the doorway and looked her way, begrudgingly. "You know what I meant."_

 _She smiled. "Suurre."_

* * *

 _3 minutes 15 seconds_

They both stopped, momentarily. To look on one another, to gain strength and will from one another; and then they kept trying.

* * *

" _I like your choice of cereal. Plain wheat oats. You know, I wasn't sure what to expect…I'm glad you weren't really unprepared and left the marshmallow- cereal out."_

" _Of course not."_

 _Silence filled the room._

" _Hmm…you sure are talkative aren't ya?" She glanced around his small kitchen and admired the way his curtains were pulled back, letting the sun glisten in like waves._

 _He noticed it. "I let the sun speak for me."_

 _She looked his way and watched the lights flickering in his eyes._

" _So I see."_

* * *

 _2 minutes 29 seconds_

He cursed loudly, and she joined in.

They sat down, against the metal wall together.

"We're going to get out of this, right?" It was pointless asking.

"…."

"Should we just stop?"

"Probably not. Are you worried, Rouge?"

"No."

* * *

 _The same sun continued to shine as they walked to HQ._

" _What's the sun speaking for you now?"_

" _It's peaceful. I hope it lasts."_

" _It most likely won't."_

" _I know it, but at least I'll have-" He didn't finish._

" _What?"_

 _He looked at her for a moment, and still didn't reply._

" _Forget it."_

 _She didn't._

* * *

 _2 minutes 10 seconds_

They stood up again, and fought together. They fought the walls of their confinement.

"We're going to make it," Shadow promised, less of a question than she could fathom.

 _We're going to make it where?_

She knew in some way, they would.

* * *

 _Their orders from HQ were plain- get to the base and get the weapon from the vault._

 _They both knew it wouldn't be so simple, but they didn't really mind._

 _It was a long walk, anyway._

 _There was something in the air that didn't seem the same as ordinary though._

" _Do you feel that?"_

 _She did, and it was starting to bother her. "Yeah, I wonder what it is."_

 _Neither of them had an answer, and so they kept going._

* * *

 _1 minute 20 seconds_

They weren't going to panic, they promised.

They wouldn't. They already knew there was no way.

But they weren't going to panic.

Shadow was panting too heavily.

Sweat drenched both of their bodies and made their clothing articles stick to their tired skin. And she hadn't realized it at first, but she was exhausted. More exhausted than she'd ever be again, she supposed.

But they didn't panic.

"What will we do when it comes down to thirty, Shadow?"

His only answer was, "We'll fight."

But it came down to _30 seconds_

This time they didn't fight. They collapsed onto the steel floor, side by side, each panting with their heart's beating loud in their ears.

"Thank you."

She didn't ask what for, because she knew what he meant.

He sat up, against the restricting walls, as did she.

He tried to give her a hopeful glance, but shut his eyes instead.

She slumped back, as the detonator reached 10 seconds.

* * *

 _They were about to enter, with the omnious feeling still hanging overhead._

" _Shadow."_

 _He glanced at her sapphire eyes, and he never forgot the way they looked._

" _Yes?"_

" _You've got me."_

 _He didn't understand what it was, but it scared him when he heard the words. Maybe it was because he knew something was different._

" _I know."_

" _I know it sounds strange, but-"_

 _He didn't let her finish. "We'll make it out. It's not the end until it's the end. You can't just trust a feeling."_

" _Right, I wasn't suggesting that." But she was trusting one feeling. "I just wanted to say because…you looked a little nervous."_

 _He shook his head. "Only if it was for your sake."_

 _She didn't reply._

 _They walked in together._

* * *

At _0 seconds_ , they made it out together.

Except it wasn't as they thought it would happen, because they came out in pieces.


End file.
